Aldermen today recommended paying more than $7 million to two men who say they were tortured by former Police Cmdr. John Burge, a move that means former Mayor Richard Daley will not be deposed about what he may have known about one of the cases.

Michael Tillman spent more than 23 years in prison for the 1986 murder and rape of a South Side woman. He said he confessed after Chicago police detectives under Burge's command punched him, hit him with a telephone book and put a plastic bag over his head, as well as other torture and coercion.

In addition to Burge and other police officials, Tillman sued Daley, who was Cook County state's attorney at the time of his conviction. Daley agreed to give a deposition in the case, but the $5.375 million settlement Tillman has agreed to means that deposition will not go forward.

Flint Taylor, Tillman's attorney, said he was disappointed he would not have a chance to question Daley, but said Daley remains connected to the Burge cases. "I don't think Daley's name will ever be removed from the pantheon of conspirators in the Burge torture cases," Taylor said. There are other pending Burge cases, and Daley could still be questioned as part of one of those, Taylor said.

Jackie Heard, a spokeswoman for Daley, released a statement this afternoon.

"The former mayor has cooperated in all aspects of this case. He was prepared to give his deposition had that been necessary," Heard said in the statement. "As for the claims that he knowingly allowed police torture to occur some 30 years ago, his response remains the same: It is simply not true."

In a statement, Tillman said he was "pleased that the city and county, by paying these settlements to me, have finally recognized that their people did me wrong."

"I am sorry that Mayor Daley will not be questioned in my case, but that does not change the fact that he did me and my family wrong," Tillman's statement reads. "Not only that, but he did at least another 100 torture victims wrong while he was state's attorney and mayor. If he had done what he should have, I would not have been tortured, lived with the fear of the death penalty, or sent to prison."

The Finance Committee also recommended paying $1.8 million to David Fauntleroy, who spent 25 years in prison for a 1983 murder and said he too was tortured into confessing by detectives under Burge.

The City Council will consider both proposed settlements Wednesday.

Even before the newly proposed Burge settlements, the city has spent nearly $33 million on litigation related to Burge’s alleged abuses, according to city Corporation Counsel Steve Patton. Of that amount, $18 million went to settlements, with the rest going to legal fees.

If the council approves the Tillman and Fauntleroy settlements, the overall Burge tab will rise to nearly $40 million.

Taylor called on Mayor Rahm Emanuel to issue an apology to the Burge victims, and to Chicago's African-American population, for the torture cases.

Burge is serving 4 1/2 years in federal prison for lying about the torture and abuse of suspects.